In yesterday’s post we got to know about how Bea Johnson, of Zero Waste Home, transitioned into her Zero Waste lifestyle. Today I asked Bea, “What are the five steps you recommend somebody to start with?” She tells us about the 5R’s so that we can implement the principals in to our own lives and enjoy the benefits that simple, conscious living has to offer.

*Be sure to check out the book give away at the bottom of the post!

By Bea Johnson

What we do to generate only a one liter jar’s full of trash per year is no secret. We found that following a set of 5R’s IN ORDER was the key to eliminating waste. So, we:

1- Refuse what we do not need (for ex. single use plastics, junkmail and freebies)

2- Reduce what we do need (furnishings, clothes),

3- Reuse by buying secondhand and swapping disposables for reusables (that includes shopping with reusables such as cloth bags, jars and bottles),

The most important thing one can do to stop waste and clutter from entering their home is to simply say no! Think before accepting something that is handed out to you. Turn down flyers, freebies, party favors, business cards, single use plastics (such as plastic bags), and fight junk mail. Accepting these things not only creates a demand to make more, they are a waste of resources and once they are brought into our home, they add to the clutter and require effort to dispose of them later. Refusing is the first rule to living a Zero Waste, simple lifestyle. Give it a try: you’ll be amazed how much stuff you’ll be able to stop from coming in.

*Five winners will be chosen at random on October 21 to receive a copy of Zero Waste Home. To enter to win, leave a comment below and tell us if Zero Waste Home is something you’d like to try in your own home, or leave a Zero Waste tip for us to all try. Good luck!

My girlfriend, Lacey Mackey of Natureal Mom, discovered the healing and spiritual purpose of Palo Santo on a recent stay in Ojai. The sweet woodsy aroma alone was enough to lure me into purchasing some sticks to burn myself (you can get them here). They’re also known to cure a hangover and ward off mosquitos. Perhaps the perfect way to recalibrate for fall, you can read about all the beautiful benefits here.

Whether you’re ordering the veggie burrito or steak, I think most of you will agree that over the years factory farming has become an incredibly cruel process that is both tragic for animals and our health. Chipotle’s new, beautifully done ad cleverly depicts the manipulation of our current food labeling system. “Natural” means nothing and the FDA continues to get heat for the lack of regulation.

To tout Chipotle a little further, a few months ago they announced plans to banish GMO foods from their restaurants, keeping with their mission statement of “food with integrity.”